When His Fiction Becomes Reality
by Flora Perendie
Summary: Shigure's life changes drastically when he decides to visit a local club one night. Ratings go up to M in some chapters. ShigurexOC. Het M/F as well as some yaoi. COMPLETE!
1. Save The Last Dance For Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: Save The Last Dance For Me by Michael Bublé

Warning: This chapter is rated T for kisses and some language.

A/N: For the record, I do in fact own Serina as she is my own OC, so please, don't steal her. Other than that, I hope you enjoy the story as it progresses!

* * *

The club was filled with the usual Thursday night crowd. Serina had, as usual, arrived alone, and made her way through dance partner after dance partner. A few of them had caught her interest, but it seemed that none of them could keep up with her feet, or even the rest of her body, as she moved in time with all of the ballroom songs. None of them were slow by any stretch of the imagination, nor were any of them that fast, but it seemed she was destined for another night of slow partners and the wandering hands of a few drunkards.

"_You can dance, every dance with the guy  
__Who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight"_

As the music picked up with one of her favorite songs, she spun away from her current partner, a rather tall and lanky teen who had obviously never danced a day before in his life. The tune was a salsa of sorts and a smirk played at her lips as she flitted her long skirt about her knees and her neat bun slowly started to fall apart into a messy ponytail, revealing the full length of her long, pale blonde hair.

Shigure watched her from the bar, a smirk slowly coming to his face as he watched her from his seat. He finished his drink and left money on the counter, making his way through the crowd that had formed around her. He caught her eye during one of her turns and smirked even more.

"_You can smile, every smile for the man  
__Who held your hand beneath the pale moonlight"_

He stepped forward out of the crowd and carefully grabbed her hand, turning her into him and immediately placed a hand on her waist. She raised an eyebrow at him but didn't pull away, wanting to see if this new stranger could keep up with her. As he started leading, his feet moved deftly around the small circle around them. A smile slowly formed on her lips as she realized that she had finally found a worthy partner.

"_But don't forget who's takin' you home  
__And in whose arms you're gonna be"_

They danced in silence for a moment, her smile being reflected on his face. Finally, she broke the silence.

"I'm Serina," she said softly, almost worried that she would ruin the moment with words.

"My name's Shigure," he replied. "It's nice to meet you."

Her smile only widened with his reply. "You're quite the dancer. I've never seen you here before..."

"I don't usually come out," he shrugged. "But something told me to come out tonight."

He spun her out then back in, pulling her a little closer as he did so.

"_So darlin' save the last dance for me"_

"I'm glad you came," she whispered softly, repositioning the hand she had on his shoulder so that she could step just a tiny bit closer.

"_Oh, I know the music's fine  
__Like sparkling wine, go and have your fun"_

The crowd around them stared in awe and took an unconscious step back. Many of the young men looked on with wide eyes, wondering who this strange man was and where he had come from.

But Shigure and Serina paid no attention to any of them. They didn't matter, as far as the pair was concerned – they were dancing, quite happily, and didn't care if people stared. Nor did they care if anyone was jealous.

"_Laugh and sing, but while we're apart  
__Don't give your heart to anyone"_

Suddenly, one of Serina's former dance partners cut in on the two, whisking Serina away from Shigure with a smug smirk on his face. Serina rolled her eyes and looked over the man's shoulder at Shigure. He looked quite irked that she had been taken away from him.

A sudden stomp on her foot, which her partner claimed was an accident, brought her back to her current situation. She growled softly at her partner and took over the lead, causing even more trouble for her poor dance partner. He looked quite flustered and looked away, letting her push him around, even though it made him look like a complete and total fool.

"_But don't forget who's takin' you home  
__And in whose arms you're gonna be  
__So darlin' save the last dance for me"_

Shigure tapped none too lightly on the usurper's shoulder, glaring evenly at the man when he turned to see who was trying to get his attention.

"I believe that's my partner you're dancing with," he said in an even voice, though his anger was fairly obvious.

"S-sorry," the man replied in a flustered tone. He immediately pulled back from Serina, offering her hand to Shigure. Serina bumped the man out of the way with her hip as she stepped up to Shigure again, smiling up at him.

"Thanks for saving me," she said with a laugh. "I don't know how much more I could have taken."

"The feeling is mutual," he replied, his smile matching her own.

"_Baby, don't you know I love you so?  
__Can't you feel it when we touch?"_

A soft blush touched her cheeks as he pulled her close again. He led her around the circle again, spinning slowly so that her skirt played about their knees in a flirty manner. The crowd around them seemed to blur and fade into the background as they spun.

Her eyes slowly took him in as they danced. He was handsome, tall, and had eyes the color of light charcoal. Seeing him dressed in the suit did nothing but send her pulse racing. She felt a bit inadequately dressed in comparison in her knee-length black skirt and sleeveless, red satin blouse with the deep, cleavage revealing neckline.

"_I will never, never let you go  
__I love you, oh, so much"_

He chuckled softly as he caught her gaze wandering over him. When she looked up, the soft pink in her cheeks turned to a bright red.

"It's all right," he said in a soft voice. "I've already had my chance to give you a once over."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "And what did you decide?"

"That I have the most beautiful dance partner in the entire club."

"_You can dance, go and carry on  
__Till the night is gone and it's time to go"_

The both of them were a bit surprised to hear the song end. She pulled away from him instinctively and he frowned at her.

"Leaving so soon?"

She shook her head. "The song is over, and I assumed you'd want to find another partner."

"Why would I want to do that?" he asked curiously, his head tilting to the side slightly.

"_If he asks if you're all alone  
__Can he walk you home? You must tell him, 'No'"_

She shrugged, forcing back a blush. "I don't need to occupy all of your time. If you want another partner, then go ahead and find one."

His frown deepened as he watched her turn and accept another invitation to dance. He watched them exchange introductions before stepping forward and tapping her on the shoulder. She looked quite surprised when she turned to see him standing there, his gray eyes full of determination.

"Shigure? I thought you were—"

"May I have the next dance?" he asked with a slight bow. Her eyes widened in surprise then softened as she smiled at him.

"Of course."

"'_Cause don't forget who's taking you home  
__And in whose arms you're gonna be  
__Save the last dance for me"_

He returned her smile as the music started up again, the rhythm a bit slower than the last and implying more of a waltz than a salsa. He offered his hand to her and she gladly accepted it, immediately stepping close and placing her free hand on his shoulder.

His arm wound its way around her waist as he began the dance. He noticed, with a less than idle amusement, that she subtly moved herself closer to him as they moved around the floor.

"_Oh, I know the music's fine  
__Like sparkling wine, go and have your fun  
__Laugh and sing, but while we're apart  
__Don't give your heart to anyone"_

Time passed at a quick pace after that, with the two of them never leaving the other's arms despite numerous offers made separately to the both of them. By the end of the night, none of the other club patrons even bothered asking for a dance with either of them. And the two blissfully ignored everyone else in the room as they danced.

"_And don't forget who's takin' you home  
__And in whose arms you're gonna be  
__So darlin' save the last dance for me"_

Finally, the music ended and the DJ turned down the lights on the dance floor. Shigure frowned as Serina stepped away from him.

"Just wait," she said with a smile. "The DJ owes me a favor."

He raised an eyebrow at her, but she simply turned and walked off to the DJ stand. The two spoke in whispers for a moment, Serina nodding and shaking hands with the young man before returning to Shigure.

"What was that about?" he asked, his voice almost bursting with curiosity.

"I just bought us another half hour," she replied with a smirk.

"_So don't forget who's takin' you home  
__And in whose arms you're gonna be  
__So darling save the last dance for me"_

The pair swirled around the now-empty dance floor happily, the both of them laughing when either tripped from exhaustion starting to take over. The DJ played all of their favorite songs, having asked them what to play as the rest of the club goers had been leaving.

"All right you two," the young man called over to them. "This is the last one."

Serina laughed as he played the song that had first brought Shigure to her. He smiled and pulled her as close as he could, smiling all the more when he found no resistance coming from her end. He leaned close and whispered in her ear.

"We're going to have to go home soon, you do know that right?"

"I was trying not to think about it," she whispered back.

"_Oh, baby won't you save the last dance for me?"_

"We can meet again here, same time next week?" He hoped his proposal didn't seem too out of line.

"A week is a long time to wait to see someone," she replied softly, looking away.

"_Ooh, you make the promise that you save the last dance for me"_

He looked down at her sadly and stopped their movement suddenly. She looked up at him, a mixture of annoyance and surprise on her face.

"What are you—"

Soft lips pressed against hers, cutting off the question he had expected from her. Her cheeks flushed as she kissed him back softly, her grip around him tightening slightly in response to the kiss.

"_Save the last dance..."_

He broke the kiss gently and whispered against her lips, "When would you like to see me again?" He looked directly into her eyes. She looked right back at him, noting the playfulness alongside the seriousness of his question.

"_...the very last dance for me"_

She smirked in reply. "When do I have to go home?"


	2. Crazy Bitch

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry

Warning: This chapter is rated **M** for language and some situational things.

A/N: As you can probably guess, I have an affinity for song fics, hence this one is too... as are the next couple in the story...

* * *

The late afternoon sun was streaking into the kitchen when Serina stepped into it to grab a glass of water. She was stripped down to her intimates, but didn't particularly care if anyone saw her like that. No one but Shigure was home to see her anyway, so it didn't particularly matter. Her hands moved of their own accord and she was soon setting the glass back down on the counter, having emptied it in one long drink. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before heading back to Shigure's study.

"_Break me down, you got a lovely face  
__We're going to your place, and now you got to freak me out"_

Shigure was draped over the small futon he had in the room in a nonchalant manner when she entered, his yukata tied around his waist loosely. The annoyance on his face when she passed right by him, though, made it easy to see why he got up and wrapped his arms around her.

"Leaving so soon?" he whispered in her ear huskily.

She shivered and tried to pull out of his arms. "A girl's gotta work if she wants to pay the bills."

He frowned as he released her then watched her pull on her jeans. "You can't stay even a little longer?"

"_Scream so loud, getting fuckin' laid  
__You want me to stay but I got to make my way"_

"No," she said firmly, pulling on her shirt. "I've already missed three days this week. If I want to keep my job, I'm going in."

"But... other men will see you there."

"They, however, can't touch me while I work. And if they do, I'm allowed to physically harm them – to a certain degree. I'll be back to visit tomorrow morning." And with one swift motion she grabbed her overnight bag, shoes, and wallet before giving him a quick kiss and walking out the door.

"That's what you think," he whispered, a devilish grin creeping across his face.

"_Hey! You're a crazy bitch  
__But you fuck so good I'm on top of it"_

Work, Serina noticed as she walked in, was as busy as it ever was on a Monday night. This, of course, meant that it was full of drooling men, many of them on the older side, who came to see all the half naked girls serving drinks and dancing for their entertainment. All of her regulars were there, along with a few new faces. Her eyes checked each of them over as she headed for the small door to the right of the stage. None of them looked like they'd try anything, but she'd keep a watch on them anyway.

'Hello's and 'Where the hell have you been?'s flew her direction as she stepped into the small backstage dressing area. The rest of the girls were already dressed in their usual outfits, which ranged from the classic angel with wings to the devil with horns. Serina walked straight to her small station and dropped her bag, pulling out the leather studded vest, leather boy shorts, fish nets, black pumps, and leather cap that completed her outfit.

"Trunfield!" boomed a voice from the doorway. "You're serving in ten minutes! Get a move on!"

Serina rolled her eyes. It appeared that everything was just as she'd left it when she'd last worked.

"_When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
__Scratches all down my back keep me right on"_

Exactly nine minutes later, she stepped back out through the door by the stage and headed straight for the bar. She nodded to the bartender and grabbed the tray he said was headed for table four.

"Gloves, Trunfield! Gloves! Where the hell are they?"

She turned to see her boss practically tearing his hair out. The middle-aged man wasn't good with dealing with any imperfection, and Serina's outfit was incomplete without her fingerless leather gloves.

"Probably at home," she replied with a shrug. "I'll check for them again before I go dance."

"_Hey! You're a crazy bitch  
__But you fuck so good I'm on top of it  
__When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
__Scratches all down my back keep me right on"_

As the hands on the clock started to make their way toward Midnight, the patronage in the club started to pick up. It was almost her turn to dance, she remembered. Her boss liked putting her later in the night because of her tendency to walk in late. She didn't mind though, seeing as the drunker the patrons were the more money they gave in tips.

She smirked to herself as she headed backstage just a few minutes before 11:30. She pulled her leather trench coat out of her bag and pulled it on. When the angel had finished her dance on stage, it would be her turn, and it was Serina's plan to outshine the girl who had once been considered the best dancer at their little club.

"_Take it off, the paper is your game  
__You jump in bed with fame  
__Another one night paid in full"_

Shigure sat down at the last empty table that was even decently close to the stage, cursing the fact that it had taken forever to get to the little club. He was three rows back from the stage, but still in the dead center of it. He grinned to himself then grabbed the arm of the devil gently as she passed.

"Excuse me, do you happen to know when Serina will be dancing?" he asked sweetly.

The girl simply nodded. "She's up next. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"A vodka shot, please." The girl nodded again then wandered off to the bar. Shigure leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms in front of him, his devilish grin returning to his lips. Serina was up next, and if the girl's performance in bed was any indication, the show he was about to see would be the best he'd ever seen.

"_You're so fine, it won't be a loss  
__Cashing in the rocks just to get you face to face"_

Serina stepped out from behind the black curtains on the stage in a very slow, deliberate manner. Her chin was tilted down slightly as she looked out over the crowd, her dark brown eyes alight with mischief and a grin on her face. She slowly stepped out of her coat, revealing her long pale arms as it dropped to the floor behind her. As she stepped up to the pole at the end of the stage, she wrapped one long leg around it and grinned even more as she heard a few whistles of appreciation. Oh yeah, this was the kind of crowd she liked.

Shigure watched her every move with the same mischievous eyes that she looked over the crowd with. Every move she made – every spin, every arch against the pole, every split, bridge, and bend – caused him to grow just a little harder, his grin to grow just a little wider.

"Yes, yes, just like that," a voice was whispering somewhere off to his left. Shigure looked up to see a middle-aged man standing next to his table. He was nodding nervously as he watched Serina, almost as if he was afraid of something going wrong. "I just wish you'd remember those gloves..."

Shigure coughed a bit conspicuously to get the man's attention. "Excuse me, but would you happen to be the club owner?"

The man nodded, not taking his eyes off of the stage. "That's me."

"I have a proposition for you."

"_Hey! You're a crazy bitch  
__But you fuck so good I'm on top of it  
__When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
__Scratches all down my back keep me right on"_

Serina stepped down off the stage into the crowd with a smug smirk on her face. She grabbed the bills being waved at her, stopping only momentarily to brush her fingers across the cheeks or lips of her customers.

"Serina!" the devil called from a table on the far left of the stage.

Serina quickly moved through the tables to her. "Yeah?"

"Special business for you, handed down directly from the boss. Table 18."

"I never said I was going to be his—"

"You don't get it," she answered, her tone frustrated. "The guy asked for _you_ specifically, and he's only been here for the past half hour."

She raised an eyebrow at her co-worker suspiciously. "Table 18, you said...?"

"_Hey! You're a crazy bitch  
__But you fuck so good I'm on top of it  
__When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
__Scratches all down my back keep me right on"_

When she finally had made her way across the room to table 18, she found her patron speaking with her boss in whispers. The room was fairly dark, and after the bright lights of the stage, she was having trouble making him out, but she could tell already that he was handsome. There was also something vaguely familiar about him.

"You called?" she said when her presence went unnoticed for a few seconds.

Her boss immediately turned his attention to her. "Ahh, Serina, yes, I did." The man smiled at her then down at the man he'd been conversing with. "Serina Trunfield, I would like you to meet Shigure Sohma. Shigure, this is the girl who was dancing on stage when we first spoke, Serina."

Shigure hid his grin with a smile as he finally turned to Serina. "It's nice to meet you Miss S—"

"It's Serina, sir," she said flatly, trying to keep her cool.

"_Get the video, fuck you so good  
__Get the video, fuck you so good  
__Crazy bitch, crazy bitch"_

"Ahh, yes, so it would seem." He coughed to transition the conversation. "Your manager and I were discussing a bit of an arrangement... I hope you don't mind." Shigure could barely hold back his grin, and Serina could already see it through his smile.

"What kind of arrangement?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at her boss.

"Nothing that would happen off the premises," he replied with a nervous smile. "But this gentleman has offered a good deal of money to spend a few... _private_ minutes with you. If you agree, that is."

"_Crazy, bitch"_

Serina crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned into one hip, smirking. "No."

"No...?" her boss repeated, a look of terror on his face.

"No," she repeated. "I'm sure he'll expect me to sleep with him, and I am not a whore. He'll simply have to take his money elsewhere."

Anyone who had looked at Shigure at that moment would have thought he was upset. Serina, however, could see the mischief in his eyes. He had started the game, and she was going to play right along with him.

"_Hey! You're a crazy bitch  
__But you fuck so good I'm on top of it  
__When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
__Scratches all down my back keep me right on"_

"Serina," her boss said softly, resting a hand on her shoulder gently, "are you sure you can't just...?" He left the question open ended.

"I said no." She shrugged his hand off. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." She nodded to Shigure then walked past the two men on her way to the bar, brushing her hip against Shigure's shoulder as he passed. He grinned then looked up at the now-shaking man next to him, quickly dropping the grin and looking concerned.

"Are you all right?"

"I-I think I need to sit down for a while..." he replied as he slowly pulled away from the table.

"_Hey! You're a crazy bitch  
__But you fuck so good I'm on top of it  
__When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
__Scratches all down my back keep me right on"_

The whole club was buzzing at closing time about Serina's refusal of a large some of money due to her morals. Most of the girls had assumed she had none and this change of events had given them a bit more respect for the tall blonde. Others were shocked by her refusal of money and even more were upset that they'd been cheated out of a bonus because of her arrogance.

Serina, however, was completely oblivious of the glares coming in her direction as she cleaned off tables. She had won their little game when she had seen Shigure walking out as the club closed. She'd make up for it tomorrow, of course, but for now, she was going to revel in her little victory.

"_Baby girl you want it all  
__To be a start you'll have to go down"_

With her bag slung over her shoulder and her outfit from the night still on, she headed for the front door. She was ready for a good night's rest after her first night working in four days. Her boss, however, wasn't ready to let her go.

"Wait!" he called to her just before she had reached the doorway. "We need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about – he wanted something I wasn't going to give. End of story." She shrugged.

"But it was a lot of money, and he probably didn't want anything more than a—"

"It doesn't matter, okay?" She rolled her eyes. "I'll be back tomorrow night." And with that she turned on her heel and walked out the door.

"_Take it off no need to talk  
__You're crazy but I like the way you fuck me"_

"Leaving so soon?"

Serina turned suddenly to see Shigure leaning against the building next to the door, his arms crossed in front of his chest and a devilish grin on his face. Apparently she hadn't won the game like she had thought.

"I figured sleep was a good idea," she answered, smirking back at him.

"Really? What kind of sleep are we talking about here? Because I can think of a few different meanings of the word."

"What kind of sleep do you want me to be talking about?"

"_Hey! You're a crazy bitch  
__But you fuck so good I'm on top of it  
__When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
__Scratches all down my back keep me right on"_

Her bag lay quite forgotten by her feet as Shigure pushed her up against the brick wall, pinning her their with his body as he kissed his way down her neck. She moaned and shivered against him, her hands gripping the fabric of his yukata in an almost death-like grip.

"This outfit looks good on you," he murmured against her skin. "You should've worn it sooner."

"I don't wear my uniform to bed," she replied softly, running one hand up into hair slowly.

"_Hey! You're a crazy bitch  
__But you fuck so good I'm on top of it  
__When I dream, I'm doing you all night  
__Scratches all down my back keep me right on"_

As the last of the girls started to file out of the club, the devil stopped and gaped at the scene unfolding next to the door.

"Serina, what the hell are you doing?!" she cried, her eyes widening. Serina had only shed her coat, but with Shigure's yukata hanging open to covering the two of them, the situation looked much more compromising than it actually was.

Breaking the kiss she'd been holding him in, Serina grinned over at her co-worker. "Just a little extra-curricular activity, why do you ask?"

"He's the guy who was going to pay you!" All the girls who had been heading to their cars stopped to watch the scene.

"Now why would I make my boyfriend to pay for what's already his?"

"Your boyfriend?!" Everyone turned to see the club owner standing in front of the locked club door, his eyes wide and his fists clenched at his side.

"_You keep me right on"_

"I'm sorry, did I forget to mention that fact?" Shigure asked with feigned innocence. He frowned slightly for effect. "I thought I had."

"Y-you... you're... horrible..." he said, his gaze fixed on Shigure. As his eyes moved to Serina, he glared daggers. "And you're fired!"

"_You're crazy but I like the way you fuck me"_

"That's all right," she replied, a devilish grin forming on her lips. "I quit."


	3. Dirty Laundry

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: Dirty Laundry by Bitter:Sweet

Warning: This chapter is rated **T** for some situational stuff and implied sex.

A/N: Oh how I do love to torture some of my favorite characters... hope you like it.

* * *

The mall was unusually busy for an early Friday afternoon, but the small group that wandered through it was in good spirits despite the fact. Shigure was being led around by a very enthusiastic Serina while the kids followed a short distance behind them. Kyo was roaming his eyes over all the shop fronts, hands in his pockets, with a rather neutral expression on his face. Yuki walked with his hands at his side, obviously bored by the fact that he'd been taken shopping by Shigure and his girlfriend. Tohru, however, was just as eager to go shopping as well, though for much different reasons.

"_I've got a bad boy and that's alright with me"_

"Perfect!" Serina called out suddenly. The boys looked up to see Serina dragging Shigure into a dress shop on their right. Yuki let out a soft sigh and Kyo rolled his eyes, but the two reluctantly followed the blonde into the shop when they saw Tohru rush in.

"What kind of dress are you looking for?" they heard Tohru asking the older girl.

"Not sure yet," Serina replied with a shrug. "Just something formal and sexy."

"I-I see," Tohru replied, blushing slightly at the word she used to describe her dress.

Shigure chuckled and took his hand back gently from Serina and smiled down at her. "I guess that means I can't see it just yet?"

"You're the one who said you wanted me to go formal tomorrow night," she smirked in reply.

"_His dirty laundry is nothing that I can keep clean"_

The three men stood at the doorway while Serina searched for a dress with Tohru's help.

"She's something, isn't she?" Shigure said suddenly, watching Serina take delight in making Tohru blush deep crimson.

"Yeah, somethin' all right," Kyo muttered in reply.

Shigure frowned at him. "You don't like her?"

"I don't think that's the problem," Yuki answered for his cousin.

"Oh? Then what is?" Shigure's eyes were alight with curiosity as he regarded his cousins.

"_And when he needs an alibi  
__He can use me all night"_

"What do you think of this one?" Tohru asked, holding up a knee-length, emerald green dress.

Serina considered the dress for a moment then shook her head. "Too short," she said simply. "And too green – green is definitely not my color."

"Well, what is your color then?" the brunette asked with a smile as she replaced the green dress on the rack.

"Black," Serina replied quickly. "Or maybe red. Depends on the dress really."

"Anything else that the dress should have?"

Serina thought for a moment before answering. "It has to be floor-length, with a lower neckline... Not sure what else it really needs for sure though." She shrugged. "Like I said, it depends on the dress."

"_What's the fun in playing it safe?  
__I think I'd rather misbehave  
__Your way"_

"So you're saying that, because you don't know her, you don't want her living in the house?" Shigure was surprised at the fervor with which both Kyo and Yuki were now telling him how much they disliked the idea of Serina living with them.

"It's not just that," Yuki said, obviously exasperated by the writer's misunderstanding. "You haven't even known her for a month, and already she's taken over your life. She's coming and going from the house at all hours of the day and night, and it's frustrating to know nothing about her than her name."

"Anything else?" Shigure asked with a smirk, leaning against the doorway of the store with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Yeah, can you keep it down in the middle of the night?" Kyo added irritably. "I can't sleep when you two go at it."

Shigure's smirk only widened. "We can try."

"_I'm just a bad girl that's why we get along  
__Won't make excuses for anything I'm doing wrong"_

Serina tilted her head slightly as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had tried on the crimson, strapless dress with the expectation that it would fit to her curves nicely. The dress, however, had a mind of its own, which was obvious by how it started to make its way outward starting at her waist. Frustrated by yet another failure, she stepped back into her dressing room and proceeded to pull the dress off.

"I found another one for you to try!" Tohru called happily from just outside the door. "This one's navy blue, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Serina called back. "Bring it on in."

Tohru smiled to herself as she opened the dressing room door then nearly dropped the dress when she saw that Serina was dressed only in her strapless bra and panties. Her eyes widened as she looked the woman up and down, the click of the dressing room door behind her completely unnoticed.

"_I'll pull the trigger in a flash  
__Watch out honey, step back"_

"Something wrong?" Tohru vaguely heard Serina asking. It wasn't until the dress was being taken out of her hands that she realized she hadn't replied. She blushed a deep red and shook her head.

"N-n-no! Nothing's wrong! I just... I'm, ah, sorry, for... um... seeing you..." She looked down at her feet as she trailed off.

Serina laughed as she slipped into the dress. "I've still got some clothes on, so don't worry about it. Besides, you're a girl too, so I'm even less worried." She looked herself up and down in the small mirror in the room and shook her head. "No, I don't think I like this one either," she said with a frown.

"_What's the fun in playing it safe?  
__Wouldn't you rather misbehave  
__My way"_

Shigure stood just outside of the hall full of dressing rooms, pouting. "Serina," he called in a whiny voice, "have you found one yet?"

"I think so!" she called back. "But you can't see it before tomorrow!"

"That's not fair! I'm paying for it after all!"

"Then don't pay for it – last night's paycheck alone will pay for it."

He raised an eyebrow in a suspicious manner as he tried to peek around the corner toward the dressing room she was in. "Just how much does this dress cover?"

"Just enough to drive you crazy."

"_Oh baby who me the money my evil friend  
__Let's go to Mexico, drink margaritas in sin"_

Serina smirked as the poor girl behind the counter counted up all the bills she had set on the counter to pay for her dress. She seemed flustered by the fact that there were so many, but she never once complained. As she finished counting it for the second time she nodded.

"Exactly two hundred and fifty eight dollars and thirty four cents," she said. She smiled softly at Serina as she handed over the dress, which was already hidden in a black garment bag. "Thank you for shopping with us."

"Thanks," Serina replied with a smile of her own. She held the dress over her right shoulder, holding onto the hanger with just two fingers. "What's wrong?" she asked, an innocent smirk on her face.

"Where the _hell_ did you get that much money? And in cash?!" Kyo asked, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open slightly.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "The job I had until last Monday." She smirked when Yuki's eyes widened as well. "I made good money," she added.

"_I'll light a candle for good luck  
__Now come on baby let's..."_

The trip back to the house was unusually quiet. Serina seemed rather pleased with herself, Yuki and Kyo were still in shock, Tohru was as silent as she had been when she had emerged from the dressing room with Serina, and Shigure was trying to figure out a way to sneak a peek of the dress before tomorrow night. The only thing that occasionally broke the silence was Serina snickering when she looked up to see such a determined look on Shigure's face.

"_What's the fun in playing it safe?  
__I think I'd rather misbehave  
__Our way"_

The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully with most everyone keeping to themselves. Even dinner was uneventful, which was always a rare occurrence in Shigure's house. Everyone had been so focused on their own thoughts or avoiding someone else – usually Serina – that hardly a word was spoken throughout the whole meal.

When night finally settled over the house, Shigure wandered into his study and sat down in front of his computer, contemplating writing a little something to appease his easily excitable editor. He balanced a pencil under his nose for a while as he stared at the screen, so focused on it that he didn't hear the screen door slide open or the footsteps that ensued.

"Hard at work I see," Serina said with a soft laugh. Shigure turned around immediately and smirked at her.

"_We're simply mad"_

"I don't seem to have the right kind of inspiration at the moment," he replied with a shrug.

"Oh?" she asked. "And what kind of inspiration would you like?" She smirked as she walked over and sat down next to him.

"_Simply mad"_

"I'm not exactly sure, but I'm sure the table could help out a bit..."


	4. Moondance

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: Moondance by Michael Bublé

Warning: This chapter is rated **M** for sex. **This chapter includes yaoi!**

A/N: No flaming for the fact that it contains yaoi. If you don't like that fact, then stop reading now. You _have_ been warned.

* * *

Weeks had passed since the night Shigure had met Serina, and life seemed to be settling down quite nicely for the pair. Saturdays were always the best. The kids – Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru – could always find a reason to be out of the house, just as they had this afternoon. The best part about this Saturday, though, was that it was one of the rare occasions that they were going to be gone most of the night. All of them were attending one of Momiji's recitals, which meant that Shigure could take full advantage of the house being empty with Serina.

"_Well it's a marvelous night for a Moondance  
__With the stars up above in your eyes"_

"You look beautiful, I promise," Shigure told Serina with a smile. From how he was dressed, someone might have thought that he was taking her out for the night. Instead, he wore the suit that he had first met Serina in for a different reason.

"Just one second, please," Serina said with a bit of frustration. She straightened in front of the mirror and shifted her dress so that it was finally where it should be. The floor-length black dress had a soft v-neckline and a back that consisted only of a criss-crossing satin lacing that revealed most of the pale skin of her back.

"There," she said finally. "I'm ready." She turned to face him with a smile, only to find him with a devilish grin and a playful gleam in his eye.

"Perfect," he said in a sultry voice. "Now, off we go."

She blinked. "'Off we go'?" she repeated. "I thought we were staying in tonight."

"Oh we are, except we're not. Come on." He gently took her hand and led her downstairs with a hand on her lower back, his fingers delicately tracing the skin between the lacing. She shivered at his touch, but didn't say anything to make him stop or to encourage him at all.

"_A fantabulous night to make romance  
_'_Neath the cover of October skies"_

He led her to the dining room then gently released her. She watched him curiously as he opened the screen then moved the table to the corner of the room. On it, she noticed, was a small boom box with a CD sitting next to it.

"Shigure, what are you planning?" she asked, an eyebrow raised in question as she looked at him.

He grinned. "Recreating the night we first met – to a certain extent anyway." He stuck in the CD and started it up, bowing gracefully to her then offering her his hand. "May I have this dance?"

She rolled her eyes playfully and held back a small laugh as she took his hand. He only grinned more as he pulled her up against him, starting to sway slowly in time with the music. Eventually, his feet followed and the pair moved around the rather small room gracefully, making an occasional step onto the porch for a spin or short pause.

"_And all the leaves on the trees are falling  
__To the sound of the breezes that blow"_

Hatsuharu cursed under his breath as he walked up to Shigure's door. He had been told to meet the group of kids there a half hour earlier, but, having no good way of keeping track of time and a horrible sense of direction, had gotten lost and spent the extra half hour he'd give himself to get there trying to find his way. When no one answered, he knocked again. This was strange, he thought, Shigure should be home, since he wasn't at the main house.

A silvery laugh coming from around the house caught his attention and brought him back to reality. Curious, he slowly crept around the corner of the house. To his surprise he found Shigure dancing with a woman, a rather beautiful woman to be exact, in the general vicinity of his dining room. His curiosity excited even more by this thought, he slowly crept closer.

"_And I'm trying to please to the calling  
__Of your heart-strings that play soft and low"_

Serina laughed again as she caught her feet on her dress and had to cling to Shigure to keep from falling over. He laughed with her and pulled her closer than was really necessary.

"Troubles?" he asked with a smirk.

He found his smirk suddenly plastered on her face. "Never," she replied.

"Then let us continue." He smirked even more when she pouted, immediately sweeping her into the rhythm of the song. She turned with him happily, laughing even more as he led her to the porch to dip her out into the night. She closed her eyes for a moment to keep from getting dizzy then slowly opened them, surprised to see a pair of eyes staring back at her in the darkness.

"Who the hell are you?"

"_And all the night's magic  
__Seems to whisper and hush"_

Haru blinked in surprise, realizing that she had been talking to him. He watched as Shigure helped the woman stand then as the two of them faced him. Shigure looked surprised to see Haru there while the woman seemed upset.

"I said who the hell are you?" she asked again.

"Calm down, Serina, this is one of my younger cousins, Hatsuharu." He patted her shoulder gently then stepped forward. "Haru, what are you doing here? The others left almost a half hour ago."

Haru shrugged, his hands instinctively finding their way to his pockets. "I got lost."

Serina raised an eyebrow at him but didn't say anything. She knew better than to get angry with someone Shigure cared about and, better yet, knew she didn't have much a chance against the kid in her long dress.

Shigure nodded. "I see, well, come on in then. I suppose we can't leave you out there all on your own." He motioned for Haru to follow him into the dining room as he walked over and turned off the CD. Serina sighed and sat down on the edge of the porch, staring down at her feet.

"_And all the soft moonlight  
__Seems to shine in your blush"_

"Tea, Haru?" she could hear Shigure ask the younger man.

"Sure," Haru replied. She could hear Shigure shuffle into the kitchen and she sighed again. So much for their romantic evening, she thought bitterly.

"Is something wrong?"

She jumped when she realized that Haru's voice had come directly from her left. She looked up to see him crouching down next to her, a blush quickly spreading across her cheeks.

"No," she replied, shaking her head ever so slightly. "I'm fine."

Haru tilted his head slightly at her, his eyes alight with the curiosity that had brought him around the house. "You seem upset."

"Well, you did ruin the evening Shigure had planned for us," she pointed out.

"Sorry," he said softly. Serina noted the sadness in his voice and immediately felt guilty for pinning all of the guilt on the poor kid.

"Me too," she mumbled.

"_Can I just have one more Moondance with you, my love?"_

Shigure eyed the pair that sat on the edge of his porch suspiciously. He shook his head after a moment then coughed in a conspicuous manner. "Tea's ready," he said brightly. Haru nodded and rose from his spot, quickly moving to the table, which was still pushed into the corner. Shigure quickly served Haru then looked over at Serina, frowning. "Won't you come join us?"

"I'm not really thirsty," she replied with a shrug.

His frown deepened as he stood and walked over to her. He sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her. She looked up at him with a mixture of annoyance and frustration on her face. He smiled sympathetically back at her.

"I'll make it up to you later," he whispered in her ear. "We'll dance again, though I suspect clothes won't be involved that time."

"_Can I just make some more romance with you, my love?"_

Haru watched the pair speak in whispers, the tea in his hands all but forgotten. Were they discussing him? Were they trying to get rid of him? Or was it something else? He frowned and looked down at his tea. It wasn't as if he had tried to get lost – it had just happened. It happened a lot, which was why he normally walked with someone who had a better sense of direction. He hadn't counted on Kisa and Hiro leaving for Shigure's early to spend time with Tohru.

The soft sound of satin rustling caught his attention. He looked up quickly to see Serina sitting down next to him, her look composed and neutral. He thought he saw a glimmer of playfulness in her eyes though.

"I really am sorry," Haru offered. "I didn't mean to get here so late."

"It's all right," she said, smiling at him. "Let's just make the best of it, okay?"

He nodded, not quite understanding what she had meant.

"_Well, I wanna make love to you tonight  
__I can't wait till the morning has come"_

After the tea had been finished, Serina gathered up the cups and kettle and placed them on the tray. "Be right back," she said softly as she disappeared into the kitchen.

Shigure looked over at Haru to see the boy staring after Serina.

"Who was that?" Haru asked, turning to his older cousin.

"My girlfriend," he replied with a smirk.

Haru nodded appreciatively. "I hate to admit it, but I'm a little jealous – she's beautiful."

Shigure chuckled softly, causing Haru to raise an eyebrow at him. "You have no idea how beautiful," he said in a low voice, a smirk slowly forming on his lips.

"_And I know that the time is just right  
__And in straight into my arms you will run"_

Serina sat down between the two men with a tray full of sweets and another pot of tea and clean cups. "I wasn't sure if you two were hungry or not, but I figured there was no reason not to bring out some of Tohru's sweets." She laughed softly to herself as she poured more tea for each of them.

Shigure nodded and grabbed a small piece of cake for himself. He then snapped his fingers as if he'd figured something out.

"I just realized that I forgot to e-mail my editor earlier. I'll be right back," he nodded to the two as he excused himself, and Haru could have sworn he saw a smirk on Shigure's face as he walked out of the room.

"_And when you come my heart will be waiting  
__To make sure that you're never alone"_

The pair left in the room sat together silently, Serina sipping at her tea quietly and Haru eating his way through a rather large piece of Tohru's cake.

"So..." Serina finally broke the silence. "I take it you're still in high school?"

Haru nodded. "I'm in my last year." He looked her up and down quickly, trying not to stare too much. "What about you?"

She laughed that same laugh that he had heard before. "I'm done with school; let's just leave it at that."

He looked at her a bit suspiciously then shrugged, not wanting to push the subject. "When did you meet Shigure?" he asked instead.

"A few weeks ago at the club not too far from here. We were trying to recreate the night that we met tonight. Well, somewhat anyway," she added as an afterthought.

"_There and then my dreams will come true, dear  
__There and then I will make you my own"_

Shigure watched the pair with a smirk as they exchanged the slightly awkward conversation. He had noticed Haru's eyes wandering over Serina before, but now he realized why. And before he let his younger cousin go home for the night, Shigure decided it was time for a bit of fun.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said in an up-beat tone, his smile bright as he sat next to Serina. "It seems I forgot a few people earlier today." He chuckled at his own joke.

"_Any time I touch you  
__You just tremble inside"_

After finishing off almost half of the cake by himself, Haru pushed his plate away. Both Serina and Shigure looked over, curious to know what was going on.

"I think I'll head home," he said, standing. "I didn't mean to ruin your night."

Shigure was just a bit faster in his reply than Serina. "You don't want to stay the night? We have the extra space." He smiled up at Haru, his fingers tracing Serina's lower back again. She shivered and bit back a moan.

Haru raised an eyebrow at the couple then shook his head. "I don't want to be in the way."

Shigure let his grin slowly overtake his smile. "You wouldn't be in the way Haru – I could actually use your help." He ghosted his lips across Serina's neck, causing her to shiver even more and moan softly.

"Shigure," she chided softly. "Haru's still here..."

"And I don't think he wants to go home just yet."

"_And I know how much you want me  
__That you can't hide"_

Haru's eyes widened as he watched Shigure slowly trail his fingers across Serina's neck. He watched as Shigure found the perfect spot on her collar bone and nipped it just enough to get her to let out a soft, irresistible moan. He couldn't help but start growing hard as he watched, his eyes completely enraptured by the scene.

Shigure's voice brought him completely out of his reverie. "Haru, be a dear and close the screen? We don't need the world to see."

"_Can I just have one more Moondance with you, my love?"_

Serina moaned softly and closed her eyes tightly. Shigure had figured out every last of her turn-ons over the past few weeks and he was now using them against her. She knew exactly what he had in mind, but she wasn't sure if Haru would be up for it. She wasn't exactly sure if she was either, but with her body screaming for any touch she could get, she gave up fighting against it.

"_Can I just make some more romance with you, my love?"_

Haru sat down a few feet back from the couple, marveling at how ragged Serina's breath was after just a few short minutes. He had been with Rin for years, but not once had he been able to do to her what Shigure had just done to Serina. A small grin played at his lips.

He was curious now, to see just what tonight could teach him.

"_Well, I wanna make love to you tonight  
__I can't wait till the morning has come  
__And I know that the time is just right  
__And in straight into my arms you will run"_

"Help me get this lace out of the dress?" Shigure asked, grinning when he saw the youth's curiosity completely taking over. Haru nodded and moved forward, gently wrapping an arm around Serina as Shigure pulled away and slowly undoing the lace. She shivered as his fingers touched her skin then moaned as his fingers slowly traveled upward with the lace.

He was a bit surprised when he found Shigure's hands undoing the buttons of his shirt. He opened his mouth to say something, but Shigure merely pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shh," he said softly. "Trust me." He smirked then removed his finger and leaned close, pressing his lips against Haru's. Haru's eyes widened momentarily before he gave into the kiss, not having realized before that his older cousin was as dominant as he was being now. He slowly pulled the last of the lace from Serina's dress as his shirt fell open, not having noticed that deft fingers had still been working on the buttons.

"_Any time I touch you  
__You just tremble inside  
__And I know how much me  
__That you can't hide"_

Serina moaned frustratedly as she watched the two men undress each other. It was true that she had been turned on even more by this, but now that they had turned their attention to each other, all she could do was wait and watch. They held each other close as all of their clothes slowly fell to the floor, the lips locked together in a passionate kiss.

She shivered as she watched them and slowly began to pull her dress around herself, if only to stay warm for another moment.

"What are you doing?"

The question caught her off guard and she looked up to find Haru leaning over her.

"I-I was cold," she replied softly.

"Then I'll warm you up," he said with a grin. He pushed her back onto the floor then captured her lips in a heated kiss. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck slowly.

"_Can I just have one more Moondance with you, my love?  
__Can I just make some more romance with you, my love?"_

Unseen hands pulled her dress away from her, causing her to shiver even more. Haru kissed her again and didn't even ask for permission before pushing his erect member into her. Her nails dug into his back slightly and she moaned. When he didn't move at all for over a minute and was groaning for an unknown reason, she broke the kiss gently and looked up at him curiously.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"For me," came the reply from somewhere up above Haru. She looked over Haru's shoulder to see Shigure grinning down at her.

"What do you—"

Her question was cut off when Haru suddenly slammed into her, causing her to moan both in pleasure and pain. Haru muttered an apology then began to move against her at smooth, easy pace. She slowly released the death grip her nails and taken on Haru's back, blushing slightly when she realized she had probably drawn blood. Haru, however, was unfazed as he leaned down and kissed her, groaning into the kiss.

"_Can I just have one more Moondance with you, my love?  
__Can I just make some more romance with you, my love?"_

Shigure watched the pair beneath him with a grin on his face. He was completely in control, and was pretty sure neither of his partners had realized that. He pushed himself deeper into Haru, groaning from how tight he was. Apparently he and Yuki had called off their on-the-side off-and-on relationship for good after their last major fight.

"Harder," he heard suddenly from below. "Faster."

He realized, with a strange amusement, that it was Haru calling for the change in pace, not Serina. Still, he knew he had to oblige if Haru was ever to come back and play with him and Serina again. He picked up his pace, groaning as he felt Haru tighten around him slowly.

"_My love, my love"_

The trio lay comfortably across the dining room floor a good half hour later. Each had regained their breath, but none spoke as they tried to work out their thoughts.

Serina was trying to figure out how being interrupted could have ended up in such a great way. A grin had been on her face since the moment she had come.

Shigure was lazily smoking a cigarette while trying to figure out how to get Haru back more often. He also wondered if Haru had enjoyed the night as much as he and Serina had.

And Haru was thinking of how to say what he knew he already wanted.

"_I just want one more Moondance with you"_

"Shigure, Serina..." he began, looking over at the two.

Serina looked over at him. "Yeah, Haru?" It seemed as if her grin had grown even wider since he'd last looked at her.

"_Yes I do"_

"I want to come play again sometime."

* * *


	5. Oh Baby, Oh Baby

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket.

Warning: This chapter is rated **T** for implied sex and some language.

A/N: Oh boy was this fun to write. I just love to torture poor Shigure... You'll see why if you can't guess already. Enjoy!

* * *

It was a lazy Wednesday afternoon in Shigure's humble abode, as he would put it, and the house was unusually quiet. Yuki was staying late after school for a student council meeting, Kyo was off training at the dojo, and Tohru was out grocery shopping. That left only Shigure and Serina in the house, though he noticed that even Serina was very quiet today. Something had been on her mind all day, and he had, as of now, had no luck in getting the subject out of her. It seemed he was going to have to take the direct approach.

Serina sat in front of the mirror in his room, which had been surprisingly clean since she had moved in – it seemed as if the blonde hated the former chaos of the room enough to keep it spotless continually now. She had her knees hugged to her chest and her chin resting on her knees. He couldn't tell what emotion really had control of her face, though – she seemed sad, confused, upset, and a bit hurt as well. Delicacy, he decided, was definitely needed.

"Serina? Is something wrong?" he asked quietly from the doorway where he watched her.

"I'm not sure," she replied in a neutral voice.

"Anything I can help with?" he couldn't help but smirk down at her.

She shrugged. "Not really, unless..." She trailed off for a moment, thinking. Suddenly, she turned to face him. "The first of our drunken nights together was the 18th of last month, right?"

He thought about it for a second then nodded. "Something like that, yes."

She nodded, more to herself than to him. "And today is the 14th, right?"

Again, he nodded. "Yes, why do you ask?"

"Fuck," she muttered.

"What is it?" he asked, stepping forward and sitting down next to her. He looked at her face again and saw that she was angry and upset, as well as a bit terrified.

"I'm supposed to be in the middle of something I don't have," she said in a flat tone of voice.

He blinked, completely confused by this. "Huh?"

She sighed. Apparently, she was going to have to be more direct about this. "As a friend of mine used to say all the time, 'Oh baby, oh baby.'"

"I still don't get it," he said, shaking his head slightly.

She rolled her eyes as she finally looked up at him. "I'm pregnant!"

Now it was his turned to be confused. His eyes widened in shock and his voice became shaky as he spoke. "You're... what?"


	6. When You're Mad

Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: When You're Mad by Ne-Yo

Warning: This chapter is rated **M** for some situational things, implied sex, and language.

A/N: Yet another song fic for these two, though I give credit to SohmaElric91 for giving me the inspiration when she gave me the song. I have a few more ideas for this story arc, but I don't think it'll go more than another few chapters. Other than that, enjoy!

* * *

From outside of the house, no one could have guessed the terror that had been released inside. Those inside the house, however, had been practically scared out of their minds when Serina had first snapped. After the next three subsequent snaps, Yuki had suggested grocery shopping to Tohru and the two had left, followed shortly thereafter by Kyo, who said he was going to visit Sensei for the day. This left Shigure alone in the house with his overly sensitive girlfriend, which was exactly the way he wanted it.

"_It's just the cutest thing  
__When you get to fussing (cussing)"_

He could hear her in the living room, flipping through channels at a breakneck speed. With a small smirk on his face, he stepped into the doorway and looked down at the blonde, who was leaning heavily on the table, one palm under her chin to support it, and a bored look on her face.

"Anything good on?" he asked, surprised when she didn't jump at all.

She shrugged. "When is there ever anything good on TV?"

He chuckled. "Very true, I hadn't thought of it like that."

"Obviously," she rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see from his angle. "If you hadn't noticed, I don't watch TV for a reason."

"_Yelling and throwing things  
__I just wanna eat you up"_

"May I ask why you're watching now then?" he prodded, hoping he wouldn't hit a bad note with her.

"Because there's nothing better to do right now," she snapped. He jumped slightly at her sudden change in mood, but did his best not to show it as she looked over her shoulder at him. "What do you want anyway?"

"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

He immediately regretted that answer.

"See how I was doing? What the hell was wrong with me in the first place?" she threw the remote at his head then stormed out of the room.

"_I don't mean no disrespect  
__When I start staring  
__Knowing that it makes you mad (uh oh)"_

Rubbing a slightly sore temple, Shigure followed after her quickly. Now that he had figured out one trigger, he decided to avoid it as much as possible. He just hoped that the triggers didn't change every few minutes, as that would make his life a living hell until she got over this rather horrible mood swing.

He found her in the kitchen searching through the refrigerator for something. He stopped in the doorway, just in case he needed to duck out of the way of another flying object, before speaking. "Can I help you find something?"

"I know my way around this kitchen better than you do," she replied matter-of-factly. "I can find it on my own."

"Point taken," he said with a chuckle. "What are you looking for anyway?"

"The last of the peaches – I know I saw one in here yesterday."

"I think Yuki ate it yesterday..."

"_I'm sorry that seeing you mad is sexy"_

"God-fucking-damn it!" she screamed, grabbing the first thing within reach and throwing it at the floor. The apple flew into tiny pieces all over the kitchen floor, but she didn't care. She slammed the refrigerator door shut then walked off again quickly.

He watched her with a smirk. He hadn't been planning for that to happen, and he was a bit upset about losing an apple over a stolen peach, but he had to admit that watching her stalk away made it all worth it. The way her long ponytail swayed from side to side to accent how her hips swayed... Just the thought of it was intoxicating – seeing it was a whole different story.

"_Could it be the lil' wrinkle over your nose  
__When you make your angry face  
__That makes me just want to take off all of your clothes  
__And sex you all over the place?"_

She was reading in the living room when he found her again. Or, rather, she was attempting to read. Her mind kept wandering, going over everything that had happened during the day. She had snapped at Tohru for blushing for one reason or another, almost shoved Kyo down the stairs when he had said she'd been unreasonable with Tohru at breakfast, and screamed at Yuki when he had asked her to calm down. And now she had snapped at Shigure. Twice.

A soft sigh escaped her lips. Apparently, this whole pregnancy thing was going to be more of a pain than she had really expected it to be.

"_Could it be the lil' way you storm around  
__That makes you want to tear you down  
__Baby, I ain't sure, but one thing I do know is"_

Hearing his voice next to her made her jump – she hadn't even heard him walk into the room.

"Something on your mind?" he asked in a soothing voice.

She shook her head, forcing back as much of a blush as she could. "No, not at all. I'm just reading."

"Oh really? It looked to me like you were distracted by your thoughts." He sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her waist gently.

"_Every time you scream at me  
__I wanna kiss you  
__When you put your hands on me  
__I wanna touch you"_

"Yes, really," she said, keeping her nose to her book. She was blushing quite noticeably now, but she ignored it in the hopes that he would too. Shigure, on the other hand, had his mind on something completely different.

He leaned close and whispered in her ear in a sultry voice. "I think you're lying," he whispered. "I think you just don't want to talk about it."

She shivered at the feeling of his breath against her ear. "No, really? What would have given you that idea?"

"Nothing at all," he whispered. "But tell me, is that book really so interesting that you want to ignore me because of it?" He trailed his fingers over her side slowly, causing her to shiver again.

"S-stop it," she said, shaking her head and still refusing to look at him. "I'm reading."

"_And when we get to arguing  
__Just gotta kiss you  
__Baby, I don't know why it's like that  
__But you're just so damn sexy  
__When you're mad"_

He pouted as he pulled back from her. "Fine, I'll leave you to your reading."

Standing, he walked toward the door. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out and grabbing the back of his yukata before he could make it out of her reach. He grinned to himself then covered it up with a look of surprise as he looked down at her. "Yes?"

"I _was_ reading, you know, but you... you're so... you're good at..." She sighed in a frustrated manner then pouted up at him. "Do you really have to be so damn good at turning me on?"

"_Baby, don't think I don't take you seriously  
__But I just can't help the fact that your attitude excites me (so exciting)"_

"Are you saying I got your attention?" he asked as he got back down next to her.

"I'm saying that you better finish what you started before I _really_ get angry," she replied, still pouting at him.

"_And you know ain't nothing better  
__Then when we get  
__Mad together and have angry sex (I'll blow you out)  
__Then forget what we were mad about"_

"I'm sorry," he said, his grin starting to show through his façade of surprise, "what was that?"

"Damn it Shigure, kiss me!" she yelled. He reached his arms around her waist gently but was honestly surprised when he felt her lips press against his in a demanding manner. He knew she was upset with him walking away in the first place, but he hadn't quite expected for her to try and take things into her own hands.

"Sorry," he murmured into the kiss, running one hand up her back and pulling her hair out of its usual ponytail. She shivered and tried to stop him, but he wouldn't hear of it. He pressed his whole body against hers as he laid her down on the floor, keeping her lips captured in the kiss to keep her from arguing.

"_Could it be the lil' wrinkle over your nose  
__When you make your angry face  
__That makes me just want to take off all of your clothes  
__And sex you all over the place?"_

Hands trailed over backs, down sides, and fumbled with clothing as the two kissed. It didn't take long at all until every piece of clothing had been tossed aside. Each wanted to have their own way with the other, but with Shigure on top, it was obvious to both who would be winning the battle in the end. Serina, however, was not about to be outdone.

She broke the kiss gently and whispered in his ear. "Shigure... I've been thinking for a while... are we ever going to make this living arrangement of ours permanent?"

"Permanent how?" he asked as he kissed across her collarbone softly.

"_Could it be the lil' way you storm around  
__That makes you want to tear you down  
__Baby, I ain't sure, but one thing I do know is"_

"Shigure," she moaned softly, "I want to know if you're ever going to marry me."

His eyes widened as he pulled back to regard her. As he realized she was completely serious, a bit of horror found its way to his eyes.

"You want me... to... what?!"

"_Every time you scream at me  
__I wanna kiss you  
__When you put your hands on me  
__I wanna touch you"_

She smirked and took advantage of the situation, flipping the pair over so that she had him pinned to the ground. He looked up at her with wide eyes for a moment then smirked back at her.

"You just couldn't resist having top, could you?" he asked.

"Not when it's so easy to push you around like that," she replied, her smirk widening.

"_And when we get to arguing  
__Just gotta kiss you  
__Baby, I don't know why it's like that  
__But you're just so damn sexy"_

A good half hour later, the pair lay entwined in each other's arms on the living room floor. Serina pulled herself a bit closer to Shigure and shivered slightly.

"Cold?" he asked, reaching for his yukata to pull over them.

"A bit, but I'm not surprised." When he looked at her with a raised eyebrow, she laughed. "It's rather easy to go from hot to cold when lying on a cold, hardwood floor," she explained.

"I suppose you're right," he chuckled, pulling the yukata over them both.

"_And every time you scream at me  
__I wanna kiss you  
__When you put your hands on me  
__I wanna touch you"_

"We're home!" Tohru called out happily, leading Yuki into the kitchen with a smile. When she received no reply, she assumed it meant both Shigure and Serina were asleep and paid no mind to it. "I'm going to make lunch now," she said to Yuki as he helped her put the groceries away. "Anything in particular that you'd like?"

"Perhaps some miso, since that cat isn't here," he replied with a smile. It didn't matter that the curse had been broken – to Yuki, Kyo would always be the cat and he would always be the rat to Kyo.

"All right, I'll get right on it," she said brightly, smiling back at him. He nodded then quietly withdrew to let her cook in peace.

"_And when we get to arguing  
__Just gotta kiss you"_

Serina fought back a yawn as she snuggled as close to Shigure as she could. He chuckled as he looked down at her. "Yuki and Tohru are home now," he said softly. "We should probably get up before they find us here."

"Don't wanna get up," came the muffled reply. "I'm comfortable here."

"There's always a chance that one of them will come back here though..."

She hmphed in reply and simply clung to him, not really registering what he was saying.

_Baby, I don't know why it's like that  
__But you're just so damn sexy"_

Yuki followed the soft voices he heard through the house, finally ending up at the living room. The screen door was slid open, but he wasn't exactly sure why that would be. He crept closer to the door, noticing that there were clothes lying on the floor. When he finally made it to the door, his eyes widened as he saw Shigure on the floor with Serina, covered only by his yukata.

"Shigure?" he asked. "What are you two doing—"

Serina immediately snapped out of her sleepy state and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I told you someone might come back here," Shigure reminded her softly, laughing nervously.

She nodded slowly then glared at Yuki. "I swear, when I get up, I'm going to—"

"_When you're mad"_

Shigure cut her off by placing a hand over her mouth. "Yuki, I might suggest you run away for a little while, if you value your life at all."


	7. Addicted

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: Addicted by Saving Abel

Warning: This chapter is rated **M** for adult themes and implied sex.

A/N: Finally, another chapter of this rather epic arc! I know it's taken forever to get to this point, but I really haven't had inspiration for a while. This one also turned out a lot different than I had expected and taken our trio on quite a ride. With any luck, though, I'll have the last few chapters (I don't expect more than two or three more) up in the next few weeks. Enjoy, and don't kill me for what I'm doing to the characters please!

* * *

It was oddly quiet in Shigure's house for late on a Friday afternoon, but that didn't stop the house from having only one current occupant. The kids had gone out to spend time with their friends and Shigure has been dragged downtown by his editor to meet with her superiors about his current storyline, leaving Serina alone in a house that was far too large for any one person. She moped around the house, hoping that someone, anyone, would come soon and help cure her of her boredom and loneliness.

"_I'm so addicted to  
All the things you do"_

Serina was sitting in the dining room, staring out the open door into the slowly darkening sky when she noticed something in the distance. She instinctively got to her feet, getting ready to either defend the house or run if need be. As the shape approached though, she relaxed her stance and pulled herself to her full height, smiling as she began to make out the shape of someone familiar. She stepped out onto the patio and leaned against one of the house supports, smiling at her visitor.

"Long time no see, Haru," she said happily.

"_When you're going down on me  
In between the sheets"_

Haru nodded a bit sheepishly and smiled back at her. "Sorry," he said, "I would've come back sooner, but things have been hectic at the main house and with school, so this is really the first time I've had the chance to come by since last time..."

She shook her head at him. "A few weeks is understandable," she replied with a laugh. "I know how life gets, so really, don't worry."

He nodded and smiled even more at her, not daring to take another step toward the house or to ask to come in. He pushed his hands deep into his pockets so she couldn't see him fidgeting. He'd heard Shigure being dragged away by his editor on his way to the house, which meant that she was alone. Although this prospect was a good one, he didn't want to seem rude or like he was trying to take her away from Shigure.

"_Or the sound you make  
With every breath you take"_

"Why don't you come in?" she asked, pushing herself away from the support and motioning to the dining room. "I could make us some tea and grab something to munch on if you'd like."

"I'd like that," he said with a smile, pulling his hands from his pockets as he stepped up onto the patio and then followed her into the dining room.

"Be right back then." She flashed him a quick smile then disappeared into the kitchen.

"_It's not like anything  
When you're loving me"_

Settling down in front of the table, Haru took a chance to look around the room. It was exactly the way he remembered it normally being, and quite different from how he remembered it from the last time he'd been at the house and found her dancing with Shigure. He shook his head a bit at the memory. That had over a month ago, and he hadn't dared to come back since then. Not that he hadn't wanted to, but he wasn't sure just how much he could expect from the two or if it was all right to assume that they would have some kind of pattern or routine together.

Now, though, he'd come upon her all by herself, and he wasn't quite sure what to do. Would it be safe to assume they could do something like last time, or would that be out of line? He'd heard from Yuki that she was pregnant now, which meant that Shigure was obviously the father, so where did that put him? Was he just a toy, or was he allowed to be something more? And, better yet, was she even allowed to have sex now that she was pregnant?

"_Oh girl lets take it slow  
So as for you well you know where to go  
I want to take my love and hate you till the end"_

"Haru?"

The question made him jump so high he hit his knees on the underside of the table. Serina laughed as set the tray of tea and sweets down on the table then sat down next to him. His cheeks reddened a bit with a blush and he purposely looked away from her and at the tray in front of him.

"Sorry," she said, still laughing a bit as she began to pour the tea, "but I had to wonder if you were even in there for a moment. You looked quite lost in your thoughts." She handed him a cup then grabbed her own and took a sip.

"I was," he mumbled before taking a long drink of his tea.

She tilted her head slightly as she regarded him. "What's on your mind?"

"Just things," he replied with a shrug.

"What kind of things?" she pressed.

"_It's not like you to turn away  
From all the bullshit I can't take  
It's not like me to walk away"_

"Things... like this." He turned to her suddenly and leaned close, kissing her on the lips softly. Surprised, she pulled away quickly, not sure if she really understood what he was trying to get at. He sighed and pulled back as well, shifting so that he was facing away from her slightly. "I knew you'd do that," he muttered dejectedly.

Her eyes widened for a moment before everything sunk in. She sighed then smacked him upside the back of his head with a bit of force.

"Ow!" he yelled, turning toward her quickly and glaring at her. "What was that for?"

She rolled her eyes at his glare then looked him in the eyes. "For being an idiot. If you'd have said what was on your mind, I would've told you that it was fine. You're the one who assumed that just because you hadn't been here for weeks that I'd push you away."

"_I'm so addicted too all the things  
You do when you're going down on me_

_In between the sheets"_

Haru's eyes widened as the full implication of her words sunk in. "You mean... even though Shigure's not here... we can...?" He left the question open ended, knowing she'd be able to finish it.

"Of course!" she laughed. "You didn't think that we'd invite you to play just to tell you it wasn't going to happen again, did you?"

"I wasn't sure," he answered honestly. "A lot's happened since then, so I wasn't sure you even _could_ do anything anymore."

"I don't quite understand..."

"Well, you know, because you're..." He faltered, having trouble getting the last word out. She continued to look at him expectantly and he found all he could do was stare at her stomach. Wasn't it supposed to start expanding after she got pregnant?

"_Or the sound you make  
With every breathe you take  
It's not like anything  
When you're loving me"_

Her silvery laugh made Haru take his eyes off her stomach and look up at her face. "Oh Haru," she said, still laughing, "I'm more than allowed to have sex while still pregnant. And don't think that any doctor telling me otherwise would make me change my mind on the decision, especially with Shigure almost constantly in the house."

Smiling, Haru nodded at her. "So, even though Shigure's not here, you'd be willing to...?"

She smirked down at him. "I don't know," she said, causing Haru's face to fall, "you may have to convince me first."

"I think I can do that," he said, answering her smirk with his own.

"Let's move away from any and all prying eyes then." She nodded toward the hallway and he immediately got up, walking out and to the living room. She laughed under her breath and quickly cleaned up, making sure to shut the screen to the dining room to ensure they wouldn't have any unexpected visitors.

"_I know when it's getting rough  
All the times we spend  
When we try to make  
This love something better than  
Just making love again"_

A few minutes later found the two of them sitting around the table in the living room making small talk. Serina was leaning one elbow on the table as she faced him, listening intently to what he was saying. Haru was babbling through some of the day to day things he'd been doing since she'd last seen him, feeling like she needed to know things like this. He was just finishing up with today's events when she feigned a yawn.

"I'm sorry," Haru said. "Am I boring you?"

"No, no, it's not that," she said with a smile. "I'm just a bit tired. I was thinking of lying down for a while."

"Oh, I see," he said, smiling a bit. "Go right ahead then."

She frowned slightly as she stood and Haru got the impression that she'd been expecting a different answer. He thought for a moment as she stepped toward the door then grabbed her wrist gently. She looked down at him, trying desperately to hide a smirk. "Yes Haru?"

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, not even bothering to hide his smirk.

"I never thought you'd ask," she answered, finally letting her smirk show through.

"_It's not like you to turn away  
All the bullshit I can't take  
Just when I think I can walk away"_

She led him to her and Shigure's bedroom quickly, making sure to close the door once she'd pulled him through it. She watched as his eyes travelled around the room quickly then rested at last on their king sized bed in the corner. Her smirk widened as she let go of his hand and walked over to the bed. She sat down on the edge of it, patting the spot next to her. He walked over slowly and sat next to her, grinning back at her.

"So..." she said slowly.

"So?" he asked, a bit confused.

She rolled her eyes a bit at him. "I did say I needed convincing on this, didn't I?"

"_I'm so addicted to all the things  
You do when you're going on me  
In between the sheets  
Or the sound you make  
With every breathe  
It's not like anything"_

He chuckled softly as he leaned close to her. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. "I didn't mean to forget." He took her earlobe in his mouth and gently ground it between her teeth, causing her to moan softly.

"Y-you're forgiven," she whispered back, leaning back on her hands a bit for support.

"Glad to hear it," he whispered, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer as he continued to grind her earlobe gently.

She leaned into him slightly and put a hand on his chest, slowly starting to trace intricate little designs on it. Haru groaned in response and began to kiss his way down her neck, nipping occasionally at the spots he remembered got to her the most. Serina moaned even louder when he did this and had to fight the urge to push him against the bed right then and there.

"_I'm so addicted to the things you do  
When you're going down on me  
Or the sound you make with every breath you take  
It's not like anything when you're loving me  
Yeah  
When you're loving me"_

Slowly, as he continued to kiss his way down her neck to her collarbone, he lowered her back to the bed, moving her up onto it fully so that her feet were no longer hanging over the edge. When he was sure she was comfortable, he pulled back slightly and smiled at her. She smiled back at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked softly when he continued to just stare at her. "I've already given you the invitation and more than agreed, so what's to stop you now?"

"Nothing," he said with a smile. "I was just admiring you for a moment – I'd forgotten just how beautiful you are."

"_How can I make it through  
All the things you do  
There's just got to be more to you and me"_

Serina blushed brightly as she looked back up at him. She'd heard that he could be a bit of a romantic, and that he was unexpectedly good with words from time to time, but that didn't stop her from being amazed by him now. She took a good look at him, perhaps for the first time, and smiled all the more. He was extremely good looking, had a great body, and had eyes that spoke volumes about what he was thinking. She could see in them that he intended on taking his time with her and that he fully intended on making sure she enjoyed this to the fullest.

"_I'm so addicted to all the things you do  
When you're going down on me  
In between the sheets"_

Taking advantage of her silence, he leaned close and kissed her on the lips. She happily kissed him back and pulled him closer as she did so. He chuckled softly as he kissed her again, slowly running a hand up under her shirt toward her chest. She shivered against him and moaned softly at the touch.

Slowly, he removed her shirt then allowed her to do the same to him. She then pulled him down into a heated kiss, shivering a bit as his hands began to touch every bit of newly exposed skin. She moaned into the kiss as he removed her bra then pulled him flush against her, needing him to be closer than he already was.

"_Or the sound you make with every breath you take  
It's not like anything  
It's not like anything"_

Haru smiled down at her as he broke the kiss and held her close. She blushed as she smiled back at him and he couldn't help but laugh softly.

"What's so funny?" she asked, her cheeks darkening another few shades.

"Nothing, I just find it amusing that you can't let go of me long enough for us to get our clothes off." He couldn't help but smirk down at her.

She blushed even more and looked away slightly. "Yeah, well, I can't help it that you make me feel this way," she mumbled, flustered.

"Oh?" he asked, intrigued. He leaned close and whispered in her ear huskily, "And just how do I make you feel?"

She moaned softly before she could speak. "I think that if you don't take me soon," she whispered back, "I'm going to turn the tables and take _you_."

"_I'm so addicted to  
All the things you do  
When you're going down on me"_

Several hours, and several drinks, later, Shigure stepped back into the house and called out brightly, "Serina! I'm home!"

When there was no answer, he wandered into the kitchen, knowing she had a tendency to sit in there for hours on end just so she would have an almost endless supply of food available for her cravings. He didn't find it too surprising, though, to find she wasn't in there – she did have a tendency to travel a lot after all. Undeterred, he walked over to the living room and checked in there.

"Serina?" he called out again when he didn't see her in there, starting to get a bit worried now. "Where are you?"

"_Or the sound you make with every breath  
You take it's not like anything"_

As he continued to search through the house for her, getting more and more frantic with each empty room, she eventually woke to the sound of his calls and started hurriedly putting her clothes back on.

"Haru!" she hissed as she tried to shake him awake. "Come on! Wake up – Shigure's home!"

He merely grumbled and yawned as he slowly started sitting up. "What's the big deal?" he asked. "He won't care, will he?"

"Probably not," she admitted, "but I don't think he'll like that he was left out this time."

Haru rolled his eyes as he got out of bed and started pulling his clothes back on. "It's not our fault he wasn't home when I came by."

"_I'm so addicted to you"_

After searching the rest of the house, Shigure finally made it to his bedroom door, pausing just outside it when he heard voices coming inside. One he recognized as Serina's, and the other, he realized a moment later, was Haru's. He listened to them for a moment as the two spoke.

"When will you be back?" Serina was asking.

"When do you want me back?" Haru asked in reply.

"When don't I want you back?" she answered with a laugh.

"Good point," Haru replied with a chuckle. "I'll be back soon then, promise."

Shigure was sure he could hear the two kiss at this point, but couldn't be completely sure when listening through the screen door. What he heard next, though, rang loud and clear through his mind.

"I love you Serina," Haru told her softly.

"I... I love you too Haru," she said after a short pause.

Throwing the door open, Shigure caught the two in a lovers' embrace. He stood there, speechless, and had to wait for a full minute until Serina spotted him.

"Sh-Shigure!" she said, blushing brightly as she pulled away from Haru. "Welcome home." She smiled at him, but quickly let it fade when she saw him glare at Haru.

"_Addicted to you"_

"You," he said shortly, pointing at Haru. "Out. _Now._"


	8. The Fight

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, but I do own Serina. So please, don't steal her.

Warning: This chapter is rated **T** for some adult themes.

A/N: This arc is slowly coming to a close, and I'm afraid this is the second to last chapter in it. This chapter is set immediately after the end of the last one, so you might want to read that one before reading this one. Enjoy. =)

* * *

Never before had Serina felt such uncontrollable and undeniable rage well up inside her from a single event like was feeling now.

Never before had she felt at such a loss for words either.

She watched – with a mixture of horror, anger, shock, and hurt on her face – as Haru did as Shigure asked and quickly left the house. She tried in vain to make her body listen to her and reach out to him as he passed, but nothing seemed to be working the way it should have.

As the front door slid shut softly, she finally found the strength to turn herself toward Shigure. He looked back at her with an even gaze, angering her all the more.

"How could you?" she whispered, unable to raise her voice any higher.

"How could _you_?" he retorted, trying not to glare at her. "You're my girlfriend, and I come home to find you with _him_. How am I supposed to feel?"

"You were the one who started that little game," she said, glaring at him now. "You never said I couldn't spend time with just him."

"That doesn't mean I wanted you to sleep with him!" he yelled.

"Then you should have sent him straight home when he happened to come here late that one night!" Serina clenched her fists tightly at her sides, trying to avoid getting violent while angry.

"This isn't about me," he scoffed. "This is about you and him, and the fact that you tell him that you love him and yet you've never said that to me."

Her eyes widened slightly in shock. "You're jealous." It was, at one point in her mind, meant to be an accusation, but it was obvious by the way Shigure's stare hardened and his own hands clenched into fists that it was true. "Why," she asked softly, "why are you so jealous? You know I want nothing more than to be with you."

"If I were the only thing you wanted, you wouldn't have slept with him today."

She sighed. "You didn't answer my question."

He hesitated, looking down so that she couldn't see his eyes. He'd been trying for months to tell her what she meant to him, to scrounge up the courage to ask her to marry him before the baby was born, but he'd never been able to. Even now, when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "Forgive me for not saying what we both know is true."

She merely nodded and closed her eyes as a few tears started to roll down her cheeks. "I'm sorry too," she whispered, "because if this is how it's going to be for now, then I can't stay."

His eyes widened as he looked up at her quickly. She wasn't looking at him anymore, and her arms were wrapped around herself protectively, resting gently on the slight bulge that had started to form on her stomach. A few tears were still rolling down her cheeks, but she seemed to not notice them.

Slowly, he sank to his knees, tears starting to well up in his eyes. "Please," he begged softly, "don't leave. I couldn't stand it if you left."

"I'll come back," she said softly, still refusing to look at him. "I think we both just need some time apart, to get a new perspective as it were."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I know what I want – I don't need time away from you."

"True as that may be, we both have things to work out." She finally met his gaze and smiled a bit sadly at him. "You'll know where to find me when everything's worked out."

He bit his lip as she passed by him and grabbed her wrist gently to keep her from walking any further. She looked down at him, a bit confused. "What is it?" she asked.

Without thinking, he sat up on his knees and pulled her into a soft kiss. She didn't resist at all and even helped work out the awkward angle by bending her knees a bit more. He held her there for a moment, then, reluctantly, let her go.

"Stay safe," he whispered, a small smile on his lips.

She merely smiled back as she pulled away, not wanting words to ruin the already painful moment.


	9. How Sweet It Is

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or the song. Song used: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) by The Blenders. (I note that these exact lyrics may not appear on the web, but it is mostly the ordering used here that's different from those found on the web. This is because The Blenders didn't an amazing cover, but never put up their own lyrics. I modified the Michael Bublé lyrics slightly to match those of The Blenders a bit more closely.)

Warning: Rate T for some kisses.

A/N: Well folks, here it is - the last chapter of this (somewhat) epid arc that I've been doing for some time now. I hope you enjoy how this ends and I thank you all for taking time to read this story! =)

* * *

It had been eight days since Serina had left the house. Eight long, painful days along with 7 endlessly lonely nights, and Shigure had, by some feat beyond the comprehension of all of the other occupants of his house, survived them all. He'd thought everything through, from the first night he'd met her to the last words he'd spoken to her, and he was sure now that he could say everything that he'd so desperately needed to for so long. And with that thought on his mind, he pulled on his best suit before stepping out into the night.

He found her exactly where he knew she'd be.

"_How sweet it is to be loved by you  
How sweet it is to be loved by you"_

It was a bit ironic, he supposed, to meet her for what he hoped would be the last time like this in the same place he'd met her for the first time. He stepped into the small club, noting that it was a Thursday night by the faces he'd come to recognize over his infrequent visits to the place. The music was already playing and people had stepped out onto the dance floor to take advantage of it.

"_Needed the shelter of someone's arms  
And there you were"_

He spotted her as she sat at the bar, and could hardly believe his eyes when he did. She seemed even more beautiful than the last time he'd seen her, which before now had seemed an impossible feat. Her hair, instead of being pulled up into its usual ponytail, was falling gracefully down her back in long, pale blonde curls. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the heat of the room and her eyes were scanning over everyone in the room, carrying a small sort of hope in them.

"_Needed someone to understand my ups and downs  
And there you were"_

Smiling brightly, he stepped over to the bar and sat down next to her.

"Fancy meeting you here," he said in a nonchalant manner, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

She immediately turned toward him and smiled brightly. "Fancy indeed," she said as she took in the full sight of him.

"_With sweet love and devotion  
Deeply touching my emotions"_

He ordered a drink from the bartender when he stopped by before turning his full attention back to her. He chuckled a bit when he found her watching him, a smile on her face as she leaned one elbow onto the bar and the palm of that hand supporting her chin.

"Am I really that interesting to watch?" he asked in amused tone.

"You are when I haven't seen you in eight days," she replied in that same tone.

"_I wanna stop  
And thank you baby  
I just wanna stop  
And thank you baby  
Whoa oh yeah"_

After taking his drink from the bartender and slipping him a tip for it, he watched her carefully as he sipped at the drink. He noticed what the few days had done to her – the little lines of worry that had formed around her eyes, the little bags under her eyes that suggested a lack of sleep, the fact that her stomach had expanded just another inch or two since she'd walked out of the house… The things that any other person would have missed, he saw then. And he was more upset about the fact that he'd caused some changes and missed seeing others than he was about the fact that they'd spent so much time apart.

"_How sweet it is to be loved by you  
How sweet it is to be loved by you"_

"What is it?" she asked softly when he'd been staring at her for a good two minutes in silence.

"Everything," he replied with a smile.

She raised an eyebrow at him slightly in question. "I don't understand."

He chuckled then quickly finished his drink and set the glass on the bar. "Then let me explain," he said.

"_I close my eyes at night  
Wondering where would I be without you in my life"_

Without a word he stood and took her hand, gently pulling her up from the stool she'd perched herself on and lead her to the dance floor. He paid no mind to the rest of the people in the room as he stopped in the middle of the floor and pulled her close. She laughed softly and shifted until she got him to put only one hand on her waist and to take her hand in the other.

"Someone's feeling a bit pushy tonight," he observed with a smirk.

"And someone else is getting a little sloppy in their dancing technique," she countered, smirking right back at him.

"_Everything I did was such a bore  
Everywhere I went you know  
I'd been there before"_

They danced in silence for a few songs until a slow waltz filled the room and most of the couples retreated to the bar. Serina gently rested her chin on his shoulder and closed her eyes, trusting him to lead her around and keep her from getting hurt. Shigure smiled down at her and pulled her a bit closer.

"Careful," she said with a soft laugh, "or I might fall asleep right here."

"I wouldn't mind," he replied in a smooth tone, "though it would ruin a few of my plans for the rest of the evening."

"_But you brighten up for me all my days  
With a love so sweet in so many ways"_

"Plans?" she questioned.

"Yes, plans," he replied matter-of-factly. "I had a few things I wanted to do before we went home for the night."

"Oh? Like what?" She stood up a bit, her curiosity obvious in her eyes.

"_I wanna stop  
And thank you baby  
I wanna stop and thank you baby  
Yes I do"_

He forced the both of them to a stop suddenly, causing a bit of a stir amongst those still gathered around the dance floor. Serina took a quick, sweeping glance at them before looking up at Shigure again. His face was expressionless, but she could see the playfulness in his eyes.

"What…?" she asked slowly. "Did I step on your feet or something?"

"On the contrary," he said, a smirk tugging at his lips, "I'm about to step on yours."

"_How sweet it is to be loved by you  
How sweet it is to be loved by you"_

"Shigure," Serina said, obviously flustered as he pulled away from her slightly, "what are you doing? I don't understand what you're—"

He put a finger to her lips and smiled at her as he continued digging in the inside pocket of his suit jacket. "I thought women were good at predicting when these kinds of things were coming," he chuckled.

"These… kinds of…" Her sentence trailed off as Shigure pulled his hand out of his jacket and revealed a small, black velvet box.

"_These_ kinds of things," he said with a smile.

"_You were better to me than I was to myself  
For me there is you and there ain't nobody else"_

Serina's eyes were wide and her heart was beating faster than she had ever felt it go before as Shigure slowly got down on one knee in front her. Everyone else in the small club had gathered around the couple now and she felt fairly certain that her knees were going to give out on her. She put her arms out slightly to balance herself, blushing a bit as a few small laughs came from the crowd.

"_I wanna stop  
And thank you baby  
I just wanna stop  
And thank you baby  
Oh, whoa, oh"_

"Don't think about them," Shigure said, immediately pulling her attention back to him. "Just think about me." He smiled up at her softly, causing her to smile in return.

"It's hard not to when you're on one knee in front of me," she replied breathlessly.

He chuckled and smiled all the more at her. "Serina," he said, letting her name roll of his tongue sweetly, "you know that you are everything I have come to want and need in my life – the past eight days without you taught me that more than I ever needed them to. I hardly knew what to do with myself knowing that you weren't waiting for me to finish writing for the day or weren't just out for one thing or another and would be back soon. I want you to know what you mean to me, what our relationship and all that it entails means to me." His eyes flicked to her stomach for a split second before moving back up to hers. "I love you Serina and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Please, will you marry me?"

"_How sweet it is to be loved by you"_

Slowly, Shigure opened the small velvet box, revealing a delicate white gold ring set with three small diamonds – with one slightly larger set between the smaller two. Delicate filigree accented the small band, curling around the ring in thin lines the made it look all the more fragile and antique.

Serina looked down at Shigure and the ring with wide eyes, a hand covering her wide open mouth. The whole club was silent and even the DJ had been kind enough to turn off the music for the moment.

"_How sweet it is to be loved by you"_

Shigure didn't dare to take his eyes off of her. All of his emotions were there for her to see – the love, the fear, the anticipation, the hope, and, most of all, the longing for her to say yes. He focused on his breathing as he waited, hoping that it would help make the seconds go by faster if he focused his mind on something other than the waiting.

Almost as if in slow motion, Serina pulled her hand away from her face. Her mouth slowly closed and she forced herself to take a deep breath before smiling at him softly.

"_How sweet it is to be loved by you"_

"Yes."

Within half a second, everyone began to cheer on the happy couple as Shigure rushed to his feet and pulled Serina into a deep, passionate kiss. The DJ put on a song to fit the mood before joining in on the cheering as well. Neither Shigure nor Serina noticed, though, as they continued to kiss.

"_How sweet it is to be loved by you"_

A few hours later, when the crowd had finally filtered out and only the DJ remained, Shigure pulled Serina close and inspected the ring he had finally gotten to placing on her finger.

"It looks like it was meant to be there," he observed softly.

"I rather thought so myself," she said with a soft laugh.

He chuckled a bit then looked over his shoulder at the DJ and nodded. Confused, Serina opened her mouth to question the exchange, but quickly let it pass when the very first song they'd danced to together came on.

"Care for one last dance?" Shigure asked with a smile.

Serina smiled brightly at him. "With you, my love," she said softly, "I could dance forever."


End file.
